Prenatal diagnosis of fetal omphalocele by ultrasound: A comparison of two centuries

An omphalocele, a fetal abdominal defect, is a very important congenital anomaly. Prenatal diagnosis of fetal omphalocele is crucial to clinical management. Objective: To investigate the accuracy of prenatal diagnosis for fetal omphalocele, we undertook a retrospective and consecutive analysis of our ultrasound database between January 1994 and December 2011. Materials and Methods: In total, ultrasound (US) detected 52 fetuses with an omphalocele in utero. Results: The incidence of fetal omphalocele is estimated as 1:1249 (0.08%). We also compared the gestational age at US diagnosis between the two centuries. In the 20^th century, 22 cases of omphalocele were detected: four (18%) cases at first trimester, 17 (77%) cases at second trimester, and 1 (5%) case at third trimester. In the 21^st century, 30 cases of omphalocele were detected: 13 (43%) cases at first trimester, 15 (50%) cases at second trimester, and two (7%) cases at third trimester. The gestational age at diagnosis of omphalocele is significantly earlier in the 21^st century than in the last century. Conclusion: With the advancement and improvement in US equipment, the early detection of fetal omphalocele is feasible, which will substantially contribute to fetal wellbeing.